The present invention relates to fishing creels and more specifically to creels formed of insulated material for the purpose of preserving fish.
Fishing creels have been utilized probably since the sport of stream fishing originated. Since a stream fisherman usually moves about on foot, he must have some form of container to hold the fish he catches. Most conventional creels however are not heat insulated and therefore allow the fish to soften and deteriorate as time passes. To the contrary, such creels are often formed of wicker and are open to the outside air and temperature. It is therefore desirable to obtain some form of creel that would provide an insulated enclosure whereby fish may be held within a cool atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,615 discloses a fishing creel that is molded out of lightweight foam type plastic that is claimed to provide buoyancy to the creel and, due to its insulating qualities, maintain fish held therein in a fresh condition. The lid for this cooler includes an opening that will allow air to freely enter and leave the confines of the creel. No door is provided to close the lid opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,983 discloses a combination fishing creel and portable cooler. A canvas covered box is included, having a removable lid. The lid further includes a recess covered by a closure member. The closure is held down by an elastic strap and may be separated from the lid without removing the lid from the container. In operation the fisherman must lift the closure member upwardly away from the lid and hold it with one hand while inserting the fish through the opening with his other hand. Often, however, one of the fisherman's hands is already occupied holding a fishing rod.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an insulated fishing creel that will maintain freshness of caught fish over relatively long periods of time.
It is another important object to provide such a creel that permits easy access to the creel interior without exposing the interior to the outside air for any extended period of time and requires use of only one hand for operation.
Another object is to provide such a creel that may be carried by hand, on a user's belt, or on a shoulder strap.
These and still further objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following disclosure, which, taken with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred form of the present invention. It is to be noted however that this description and the attached drawings are given only by way of example to illustrate a preferred form of my invention and that other forms may be devised by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Therefore, only the claims attached at the end of this specification are given to define and place restrictions on the scope of my invention.